Bulldogs sign three, cut four

The Hamilton Bulldogs made their final cuts on Friday while also signing a
trio of players who were trying out for the team in training camp. Signing
with the Dogs were forwards Akim Aliu and Maxime Macenauer as well as defenceman
Nathan McIver; they all inked 25-game professional tryout contracts. The
final cuts saw forwards Stefan Chaput and Stephen MacAulay sent to Wheeling of
the ECHL while Alex Belzile and Jordan Owens were released.

Aliu played five games with Calgary last season, going pointless with 14 PIMS.
With their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford last year, he collected four goals and
seven assists in 42 games with a -7 rating and a career high 111 PIMS. The
24-year-old Nigerian-born winger has 204 games of AHL experience spanning five
pro seasons. He was Chicago’s 2nd round pick (56th overall) in the 2007
NHL Draft.

Macenauer last played in the NHL back in the 2011-12 season where he cracked
Anaheim’s lineup out of training camp. He suited up in 29 games with the
Ducks that year, scoring a goal while adding three helpers. He played for
St. John’s last year (affiliate of Winnipeg), suiting up for 68 games while
contributing with 11 goals and 11 assists. Unfortunately, his -29 rating
ranked dead last among all AHL forwards; only defenceman Nolan Yonkman (-34) had
a worse rating.

McIver has the most NHL experience of these three although he hasn’t suited
up in an NHL game since the 2008-09 season with Anaheim. In 36 career
games at the top level, he has one assist and 95 PIMS. With Bridgeport
(affiliate of the Islanders) last year, he had a goal and four assists in 62
games, while adding a whopping 287 PIMS. That led all AHL defencemen while
ranking second overall in the league (behind Providence’s Bobby Robins).
With over 400 games of AHL experience, he will count against Hamilton’s veteran
limit when he’s in the lineup.

There are also a pair of forwards who were injured in Montreal’s training
camp that are not yet on the roster, Steve Quailer and Christian Thomas.
Although both players are with the team, they technically cannot be added to
Hamilton’s roster until they receive medical clearance. In the meantime,
because Thomas spent time in the NHL last year, he will count against Montreal’s
cap at a reduced rate (relative to his time spent on the Rangers’ roster in
2013).